1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a vehicle steering handle and more particularly to a steering handle suitable for a vehicle with a steering angle ratio variable steering apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A steering handle for a steering angle ratio variable steering apparatus is known from, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. SHO-62-55263.
The known steering handle comprises a boss portion disposed centrally thereof, right and left spoke portions extending rightwardly and leftwardly from a lower part of the boss portion, and right and left grip portions rising from respective ends of the right and left spoke portions.
With the boss portion being positioned between lower halves of the grip portions and upper halves of the grip portions defining a space therebetween, the known steering handle thus has a generally U-shaped configuration.
However, since there exists an open space between the upper halves of the grip portions and above the boss portion, the conventional steering handle encounters a problem when disposing and housing an air bag in the boss portion as in a steering wheel of ordinary construction.
Namely, the steering handle does not have a support member for supporting a front surface of an upper half of an air bag as the air bag is operated and inflated. Thus, when a driver is hit against the inflated air bag, the upper half of the air bag moves forwardly through the space between the upper halves of the grip portions and thus fails to restrict or mitigate the forward movement of an upper half of the driver.
Generally, spatial layout and construction around the steering handle do not allow provision of the driver's air bag at other places than the handle. Due to the capacity of the air bag, the boss portion would be the best position for the air bag to be disposed.
As explained above, the right and left grip portions of the steering handle take the form of a rod rising upwardly. This arrangement requires the driver to firmly hold the handle for making a maximum steering angle. This imposes a heavy burden on the driver. Further, since the right and left grip portions have free ends, there is a fear that the hands of the driver will slip off the grip portions. Since a return operation of the steering handle is done with the driver's hand loosely holding the grip portions, there arises another fear that the fingers of the driver will come off the grip portions during such a return operation.